Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK

Recording

Biological records (where species have been found, when and by whom) form the basis of a great deal of wildlife conservation.  So, it is important to make sure that sightings of amphibians and reptiles get turned into records and relayed to people who can use them for conservation purposes.

Amphibian and reptile recording is a key activity of ARGs.  Your local ARG will be able to advise of best place to send records.  Groups either collate records themselves, or they work in collaboration with local biological records centres.  There are also some web-based options for submitting records:

• RAUK Recording Form
• Some ARGs have their own online recording facilities.
• For the season's first sightings of frogspawn and newts in ponds Nature's Calendar is an excellent site and web-based project.

The Botanical Society of the British Isles has a site to convert a grid reference to a Vice-County BSBI.  And did you know that you can convert a post code into a grid reference using Streetmap?

If you need help in identifying amphibians or reptiles, then there are some useful identification guides on the RAUK website linked to below:

Amphibians

Newts

Palmate newt

Great crested newt

Smooth newt

Frogs and toads

Common frog

Common toad

Natterjack toad

Reptiles

 Lizards

Common lizard

Slow-worm

Sand lizard

Snakes

Grass snake 

Smooth snake 

Adder